One Person
The following is adapted from a story that is reported to be true, as told by
Leah Curtin R.N., in "Nursing Management Magazine."
One Person... {can make a difference.}
Dr. Frank Mayfield was touring Tewksbury Institute when, on his way out, he
accidentally collided with an elderly floor maid. To cover the awkward
moment Dr. Mayfield started asking questions, "How long have you worked
here?"
"I've worked here almost since the place opened," the maid replied.
"What can you tell me about the history of this place?" he asked.
"I don't think I can tell you anything, but I could show you something."
With that, she took his hand and led him down to the basement under the
oldest section of the building. She pointed to one of what looked like
small prison cells, their iron bars rusted with age, and said, "That's the
cage where they used to keep Annie."
"Who's Annie?" the doctor asked.
"Annie was a young girl who was brought in here because she was
incorrigible-which means nobody could do anything with her. She'd bite and
scream and throw her food at people. The doctors and nurses couldn't even
examine her or anything. I'd see them trying with her spitting and
scratching at them. I was only a few years younger than her myself and I
used to think, 'I sure would hate to be locked up in a cage like that.' I
wanted to help her, but I didn't have any idea what I could do. I mean, if
the doctors and nurses couldn't help her, what could someone like me do?
"I didn't know what else to do, so I just baked her some brownies one night
after work. The next day I brought them in. I walked carefully to her cage
and said, 'Annie I baked these brownies just for you. I'll put them right
here on the floor and you can come and get them if you want.' Then I got out
of there just as fast as I could because I was afraid she might throw them
at me. But she didn't. She actually took the brownies and ate them.
"After that, she was just a little bit nicer to me when I was around. And
sometimes I'd talk to her. Once, I even got her laughing. One of the
nurses noticed this and she told the doctor. They asked me if I'd help them
with Annie. I said I would if I could. So that's how it came about that
every time they wanted to see Annie or examine her, I went into the cage
first and explained and calmed her down and held her hand. Which is how
they discovered that Annie was almost blind."
After they'd been working with her for about a year-and it was tough
sledding with Annie-the Perkins institute for the Blind opened its doors.
They were able to help her and she went on to study and became a teacher
herself.
Annie came back to the Tewksbury Institute to visit, and to see what she
could do to help out. At first, the Director didn't say anything and then
he thought about a letter he'd just received. A man had written to him
about his daughter.
She was absolutely unruly-almost like an animal.
He'd been told she was blind and deaf as well as 'deranged' He was at his
wit's end, but he didn't want to put her in an asylum. So he wrote here to
ask if we knew of anyone-any teacher-who would come to his house and work
with his daughter.
And that is how Annie Sullivan became the lifelong companion of Helen
Keller.
When Helen Keller received the Nobel Prize, she was asked who had the
greatest impact on her life and she said, "Annie Sullivan." But Annie said,
"No Helen. The woman who had the greatest influence on both our lives was a
floor maid at the Tewksbury Institute."
Post Script -- History is changed when one person asks: What can someone like
me do?
[ Original Author Unknown -- from: Pastor J. Michael Walls, Tim Davis, Keith Todd ]
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